


A Lasting Memory

by lionessvalenti



Category: White Collar
Genre: Community: kink_bingo, F/M, non-sexual nudity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-21
Updated: 2012-09-21
Packaged: 2017-11-14 17:17:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/517640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lionessvalenti/pseuds/lionessvalenti
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neal and Elizabeth accidentally see each other naked.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Lasting Memory

Elizabeth had heard the front door open and close, and the sound of someone walking up the stairs, and then the bathroom door closing.

Her glorious afternoon nap was completely ruined, but there had to be a good reason as to why Peter was home at three-thirty. He knew she was working from home today (and he'd be amused to catch her decidedly not working), so the idea that he'd actually left work early to spend time with her was a nice one.

She rolled out of bed and pulled open the bedroom door. She could hear the shower running in the next room. With a wicked smile, Elizabeth began stripping out of her clothes. If Peter wanted to surprise her, she could surprise him right back.

Elizabeth stepped into the bathroom, already thick with steam. She pulled back the shower curtain and stepped into the tub to find -- not Peter.

It was Neal. Neal, stark naked and facing the spray and running one of her navy blue washcloths under his arm.

She didn't mean to stare, not really, but she did for a few seconds, taking in the strong lines of his back, and down to firm, shiny ass. She stared and wondered if she could get out without him noticing, but it was too late.

He turned and the washcloth fell the floor with a splat. His jaw dropped, and he took a step back, pointedly staring at his feet. "Oh! Oh, I -- oh, shit!"

"No, no, I'm sorry, sorry," Elizabeth said, holding up a hand to block her eyes, but she'd already seen everything. She'd never seen Neal shirtless before, let alone naked. Now she had a vision of his lean body and flaccid penis hanging freely between his legs, with water clinging to his pubic hair etched forever in her memory. What was he going to see every time he closed his eyes for the next week?

She grabbed onto the shower curtain and yanked it back. "Sorry," she said again, as she hurried out of the bathroom, slamming the door closed as she hurried back into the bedroom.

She sank onto the bed and covered her hot face. How in the world was she supposed to ever look Neal in the eye again?

A few moments later, the bedroom door opened and Peter, still in his shirt and tie, stepped into the room. "El? Is everything okay? I heard... thumping."

Elizabeth raised her chin, trying to look as respectable as possible while damp and naked. "I thought it was you in the shower," she said. "Why is Neal taking a shower at our house?"

"Oh." Peter closed the door and joined her at the end of the bed. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and she buried her face in his chest. "There was an incident at the pier and it was closer to get here than back to his place. So, uh, you saw--"

"Everything."

"And he saw...?"

"I don't know," Elizabeth replied helplessly. She thought about how Neal stared down at his feet, but he had to have seen something. "Probably everything. We both kind of panicked."

Peter chuckled and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I'll bet."

She looked up at him with narrowed eyes. "You don't seem... bothered."

"Oh, it bothers me. Do I like the idea of Neal seeing my wife naked? No, but it's not anyone's fault. It's too ridiculous to get mad over." He shrugged and considered Elizabeth for a moment. "Is he really that perfect everywhere?"

"You don't want to know the answer to that," she replied, knowing it all the answer Peter would need.

He sighed and then kissed her again. "Get dressed. We can all be adults downstairs."

Elizabeth shook her head. "Oh, honey, I don't know if I can face Neal. I am so... I'm so embarrassed. I should have said something or knocked. I don't know why I just assumed it was you."

"Because I'm the only other one who lives here," Peter replied. "Hon, it's not your fault. And for once it's not Neal's fault that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. You're going to have to face him sometime. It might as well be right now."

It was all far too sensible, but Elizabeth knew he was right. "Okay. I'll be down in a minute."

"Okay." Peter squeezed her and got up. He started for the door, then paused. "I hope this won't scare you off joining me in the shower."

She shook her head. "Never. They just won't be a surprise anymore. I'll knock."

He grinned. "I can live with that."

Once she was alone, Elizabeth started getting dressed. She selected her clothes carefully: jeans and a sweater, even though it was rather warm in the house. She just felt like being as covered as possible before going downstairs.

The shower wasn't running anymore when she stepped into the hallway. She crept down the stairs, and as she did, she could hear Neal's voice in the living room.

"--swear I didn't see anything. It was a blur and I looked away."

"Neal, it's fine. Let's just not make a habit of it," Peter replied, sounding overly patient.

Elizabeth took the last few steps to the ground floor. "Hi."

Neal was standing in front of the sofa with his hands in his pockets. He looked over at her, not quite meeting her eyes, and his cheeks turned red. Now, there was something she never thought she'd see: Neal Caffrey blushing. His blue suit looked a little dirty and the white shirt water-stained, but dry. She wondered what exactly happened at the pier.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"It's not your fault. Peter was right, it's nobody's fault." She forced a smile. "Does anyone want coffee? I'm going to make coffee." She slipped passed Neal and went into the kitchen to busy herself.

Peter followed her, and wrapped an arm around her waist. "El," he murmured, pressing his lips to her hair. "It's not that big of a deal, I promise."

She pressed her lips together. "It is. Not because he saw me naked, I mean, that's embarrassing, but we're all adults here."

"Then what is it?"

Elizabeth felt her face heat up. "It was exciting," she said in a low voice so Neal wouldn't be able to hear her from the next room.

"Seeing Neal naked?" Peter asked, and she knew him well enough to hear the touch of hurt in his voice.

She touched his cheek with her palm. "No, but it was more about about being seen. That's what's so embarrassing. I shouldn't feel this way, but the last time someone other than you saw me naked was more than a dozen years ago. He wouldn't have been blushing if he hadn't seen anything." She thought about how Peter said that it bothered him that Neal had seen her naked, but she couldn't help it, and they'd always been honest with each other.

"Should I go hit him?" Peter asked, but his eyebrows were lifted as he said it, a sure sign that he he was joking, and Elizabeth laughed, relieved.

"I think we should let it go," she said. "It'll only become less awkward if we forget about it."

He nodded and pulled her closer, and Elizabeth leaned against him, feeling his warmth and strength against her cheek. They _could_ forget about it, and hopefully Peter would, but Elizabeth was pretty sure she'd remember the feeling for a long time.


End file.
